condenser mics wear and tear

[Steve Pinder]

Has anyone had a condencer mic start to distort?
I'm wondering if the diaphram is shot, because I have a very driving voice.



Steve Pinder
www.karatekast.com

[monkey_one]

Has anyone had a condencer mic start to distort?
I'm wondering if the diaphram is shot, because I have a very driving voice.



Steve Pinder
www.karatekast.com

You want to be carefull sensei,
you dont want to get any of your lisntners pregnant

[Steve Pinder]

lol,...you're killing me Monkey king


Steve Pinder
www.karatekast.com

[audiocollective]

I have had two MXL 990's for 3 years now and one of them is starting to give me this strange hum once and a while. it is mostly when i move it around. For the price the mics have lasted a lot longer than i expected.

[WildeGeek]

Has anyone had a condencer mic start to distort?
I'm wondering if the diaphram is shot, because I have a very driving voice.
There are a lot of failure modes for condenser mics, but which ones your mic is prone to depends on the design.

Sheer SPL will probably not damage most electret condenser microphones. DC polarized condenser mics, a design only used in high-end studio mics, can arc between the diaphragm and the back plate if the diaphragm deflects too far, but just vocal sounds are unlikely to cause that, with one exception.

That exception is strong wind or plosive sounds. Anything that deflects the diaphragm that far can scar it, scratch it, stretch it, or caulse pitting or punctures from electrical arcing.

Dirt and moisture can contaminate the thin and delicate diaphragm, causing the most common problems.

Fiberous dirt, such as lint, getting between the grill and the diaphragm can cause a distoring buzz or something that sounds a lot like clipping in the audio. Unless it's a rather high-end mic, this can NOT be repaired.

Airborn cotaminants, ranging from microscopic oil droplets to dust and salts, can coat the diaphragm, making it heavier and stiffer, and changing the response characteristics. Some times these contaminants rattle, or sluff off, causing noise of their own. Except for very high-end studio mics, this is not repairable.

Condensed moisture can cause all kinds of unpredictable distortions and noise. This problem might sound like muffled audio, clipped audio, crackling noise that occurs even in silence, and as unexpected thumps and clicks. This can be repaired by putting the mic in a dessicant chamber. Basically, you just have to dry it out.

There are other electronic failures that could be the cause -- after all a condenser microphone has an internal amplifier and requires power to run it. But you asked about mechanical failures.

The best preventative solution to all of the potential problems is a good foam wind screen. It'll collect the dirt, moisture, and stop the wind, protecting your mic from those threats.

[BridgeHands]

My biggest fear has been dropping or banging the delicate condenser mics - just asking for distortion disaster, or worse... I recall where Doug Kaye was giving a lecture at the Podcast Academy - he accidently dropped a condenser mic and it was history. Ouch.

Regards, Michael

Has anyone had a condencer mic start to distort?
I'm wondering if the diaphram is shot, because I have a very driving voice.

Steve Pinder
www.karatekast.com

[philrossimusic]

I accidentally knocked over a mic stand two days ago, my condensor still attached. Now, it was sitting in a shock mount, and had a wind screen attached (of the snake variety). So, some combination of wind screen, shock mount, and condensor hit the wall (narrowly missing the Thunderbird bass). I haven't had a chance to check if it's okay....I'm scared! Hopefully, the accoutrements took the brunt of the impact.

At least that's what I keep telling myself.